Much talk has been going around about the Halo - the safety system that's designed to protect drivers from large oncoming objects (loose wheels, other cars) as well as provide extra support in case they roll over - and how it would ruin the looks of the cars in a competition that's had open-top vehicles since its inception.
Well, safety prevailed in the end and the season that's about to start in a little over a month is going to be the first in which the Halo is mandatory. Several teams have already unveiled the cars they would be competing in for the new title, but Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsport, like any self-respecting champion, took its time.
However, the time has come for Lewis Hamilton's team to showcase its race car as well, and even without reading the specs or what everyone had to say about it, you can tell it's been worth the wait. With the Formula E unveiling the electric competition's new car as well - and looking fabulous - the Formula One needed something big to stay in front, and these vehicles might just do the trick.
They said the Halo looked like a thong (a g-string), but on the car, it looks exactly like what it is: something that's going to save the driver's life in case a big object comes flying towards him at great speeds. If I were an F1 driver, it would just make me feel safer, which means I could drive faster so no harm done.
OK, back to the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsport's car. The team says it's its most advanced Formula One car ever, which makes sense considering it's also its latest. The power unit - consisting of the 1.6-liter V6, the electric motor, the turbocharger, as well as the energy storage device - weighs a minimum of 145 kg (319 lbs), which makes up a large part of the 733 kg (1,615 lbs) total weight. Considering almost everything is made out of carbon fiber, that shouldn't be too surprising.
It's only when you delve into the specifications of the internal combustion engine that things get scary. The V6 has a maximum rpm of 15,000, but that's nothing compared to the exhaust turbine's 125,000. Mercedes-AMG Petronas doesn't give away the power output of the ICE, but it does say the electric motor chips in with 161 hp.
Asked about the Mercedes-AMG F1 W09 EQ Power+, Lewis Hamilton couldn't care less about the technical specs, he just wanted to get out on the track: “I’m just looking forward to racing again!” That's the spirit.
"Boy meets car, boy loves car, boy gets journalism degree and starts job writing and editing at a car magazine" - 5/5. (Vlad Mitrache if he was a movie) Full profile
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